18 Chinese doctors on their way to Nigeria to assist in the fight against COVID-19 – Minister

The Federal Government has confirmed that 18 Chinese doctors are on their way to Nigeria to assist in the fight against Coronavirus.

The doctors will also come with medical supplies including ventilators.

This was made known om Friday by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, in Abuja at the fifth joint national briefing of the Presidential Taskforce Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

According to him, “I have been notified of medical supplies from China, courtesy of a group of Chinese companies working here in Nigeria. A special cargo aircraft shall leave Nigeria in a few days to collect the items which include commodities, personal protective equipment and ventilators.

“An 18-man team of Chinese medical experts including doctors, nurses and other medical advisers shall come along with the flight to assist us. I must at this juncture commend our front-line workers who are doing a great job in case identification and management.

“As we prepare to contain COVID-19, we must not lose sight of other health challenges in our country. Routine health service must continue in our hospitals. Only a wing of tertiary health centres should be used for infected patients,” Ehanire said.

More so, the minister said about 3,000 samples have been tested for the disease, adding that Nigeria will witness an increase in confirmed coronavirus cases despite the lockdown, due to the increment in the contact tracing and testing.